You know the .NET Framework 3.0 (formerly known as WinFX) is working well when you can see feature-rich applications like DRADIS being created from scratch by only one developer in a matter of months.

What is DRADIS? Well, the creator doesn’t really know. The name was inspired by a computer system shown in the sci-fi television series Battlestar Galatica, assisting the pilot of spaceships with valuable and interactive data. This developer has recreated that experience using tools such as Windows Vista, the .NET Framework 3.0 and Tablet PC for a more common vehicle, the motor car. What he has achieved is amazing. You have access to video, mapping, RSS and communications capabilities all without disrupting the task of driving.

DRADIS uses the native inking capabilities, speech recognition and synthesizer capabilities in Vista to allow users to control its functionality with little or no physical interaction.

The video capability not only includes standard video streaming, but also video capturing. A captured video through a possible windscreen-mounted webcam can processed by DRADIS to possibly recognize street signs or even other vehicles. One practical use the developer suggests is the identification of stolen or illegally modified cars by the police.

Of course when driving you can’t take your eyes off the road. But when you combine RSS with a speech synthesizer, you get an awesome feed reader on-the-go. DRADIS allows the computer to dictate to you the content you enjoy whilst driving with full control of what you want to hear through voice recognition.

Combined with a GPS device, DRADIS can also function as a mapping device. With mapping data from Microsoft Streets and Trips, DRADIS can represent routing information in an easier to read format or even have it read out to you.

As a communication tool, DRADIS aims to apply the idea of “PictoChat” from the Nintendo DS for motor cars. Using GPS and a central server, it can aggregate a contact list of other DRADIS-enabled vehicles surrounding you, allowing for open communication between vehicles and even sharing of video and mapping data.

And of course, DRADIS uses the Windows Presentation Foundation and it looks amazing. Check out the screenshots below.

In summary, DRADIS proves at least two things. The .NET Framework 3.0 is easy to use, extensive and powerful to developers, and Windows Vista (even in its beta stages) is an amazing platform to develop for. If this is just one of the entries to the Microsoft Code Master Challenge, then I can’t wait to see the rest!

I am now the proud owner of a new iRiver Clix digital media player. I won it from a competition hosted by the cool Sean Alexander, group product manager responsible for all things media at Microsoft. He sent me a 2gb iriver Clix as well as a cool Windows Media Player 11 & Clix branded jacket, sized in extra large of course, I’ll grow into it.

I was surprised just how freakishly small this device is. By looking at all those marketing material and reviews photos, the device seem as big as something like the iPod Nano, but infact, it’s small than a credit card. Not that there’s anything wrong being small, but when such a device supports video and pictures, you expect a little more screen real-estate. Having said that, the 320×240 screen resolution is absolutely gorgeous. In an area of just 2.2inches, the high resolution means you don’t see any individual pixels or pixel gaps.

Apart from its size, this little device packs-a-punch. The interface is a real eye-candy. It’s definitely Vista/Aero-inspired, clean, polished and intuitive. Even when my dad first picked it up, he could navigate around with no instructions. Attention to detail in the interface like the wallpaper colour changing according to days of the week, the small clock on the top left corner, and the ‘next song’ scroll ticker really stands out on this device. Also attention to detail in terms of hardware like the locking of the navigation buttons when you lock the device adds a lot to the experience.

I’m no audiophile, so I can’t comment much about the music quality, but it sounds good enough to me. The colour of the supplied headphones are a little upsetting. iRiver marketers, if you have this really cool device that stands out from the crowd, don’t make your earphones look like an iPod. Apart from that, SRS WOW is integrated as an equalizer and has a significant effect on the bass and clarity, even if it is not so effective in Windows Media Player.

Added on 1 August: The video playback functionality is rated at 15fps, which lacks compared to other full-motion playback devices with 24fps. However even if it is nearly half the frames, the video is still watchable, although maybe not the best experience. This applies to the FlashLite games as well. Even if this device has a faster CPU compared to its predecessor, the games illustrate the lack of processing power in these devices. The rendering is choppy and navigation is unresponsible, games can be considered a bonus, not a feature. There may be a possibility of a firmware upgrade in the future which could fix these problems.

Probably the only bad thing about the Clix is the storage capacity. The Clix comes in variants of 1GB and 2GB models, with potentially higher capacity models coming in the long-term (not next week). In comparison to the hard-drive based iPods, this is definitely an issue if you want to store your entire music library on it. Personally I like to keep my music fresh, so I would only sync songs that I would want to listen to, therefore 2GB is adequate. But the limited capacity also restricts the ability to use it as a ‘USB drive’, to store other data such as documents and applications.

Like all good gadgets, the iriver Clix is not yet available in Australia. Possibly launching in September with an AU$299 retail price. It is now available from Dick Smiths Electronics for the price of $299. I’m glad to be riding the wave early.

I’m also glad Sean used DHL instead of the UPS who previously delivered a package to me three months past its use-by date, almost 6 months after it was originally mailed out.

Also, check out this awkward iRiver song (MP3, 0:50sec) that shipped with the device. I think the composer and lyrics-writer were on two different planets.

It’s easy to overlook progress, especially since how long Vista’s been in beta for. You begin to take for granted the ‘new UI’ purely because you’ve been beta testing it for so long. I was shocked today when I saw the huge difference between Media Centre 2005 and Vista’s Media Centre interface. Thanks to Matt Goyer for providing these screenshots.

Here’s the original MCE2005 screenshots, hover over images to see new screenshots

Apparently the background animates too, I presume kind of like a visualizer. Pretty cool!

This thing is freaking cool. Basically it takes thousands of photographs with the same context from any source (but mainly web), processes and renders it into a 3D composite, making it into a huge and detailed view of a particular location. I think I’ll let the screenshots do the talking.

To experience it, you just have to watch the cool videos! I can’t wait until something based on this technology is released. Would work great with Flickr or Zoomr!

Direct links to WMV movies, you can either download or stream:

• Demo Video (3:51sec)
• 320×180 (26.7MB)
• 640×360 (53.8MB)
• 1280×720 (151.9MB)
• Overview Video (3:55sec)
• 320×180 (26.7MB)
• 640×360 (54.0MB)
• 1280×720 (153.8MB)

Updated: If you want to learn about how Photosynth was coded, watch this Channel 9 video. There is also another interview with the Photosynth team and demo at On10.

For the second fiscal quarter of 2006, BP reported a profit of $73 billion dollars. Let’s put that figure into something we can relate to better.

US$9,253 dollars per second.

$555, 187 per minute.

$33 million per hour.
$800 million per day.
$5.6 billion per week.

Bill Gates on the other hand only earns a wimpy $250 per second. I think it’s time to get in the energy business.

On the frontpage of Intel.com, there are three featured images that just begs me to make fun of them. So here they are.

Hover over images to see spoof